


We Are More Than That

by rickbisexualgrimes



Category: Luke Cage (TV)
Genre: Almost Kiss, Alternate Canon, Angst, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Past Relationship(s), Season/Series 02 Spoilers, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 06:57:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15067649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rickbisexualgrimes/pseuds/rickbisexualgrimes
Summary: Shades needed to convince Che that was he was saying was the truth, that he needed to adjust his thinking. "But there's a better way, a bigger life, one where you don't have to look over your shoulder every second. Mariah's taught me that, you're just outta prison but you still have that mentality. You gotta forget all that shit. We don't have to be just gangsters, we could be so much more than that.""We are more than that or did you forget that shit too?"He noticed that Che was waiting for him to say something, to give him a response one way or another. Though the type of response he had in mind wasn't coming out. Ignoring all that and pretending that they couldn't go back was easier.





	We Are More Than That

**Author's Note:**

> luke cage s2 was phenomenal honestly, i loved it. i especially love that the MCU has two more lgbtq characters now. 
> 
>  
> 
> follow me @ okoyesarmor on tumblr.

_The direct vicinity smelled like sweat but Shades found he didn't really give a shit. At least not at the moment he didn't care about that or the fact that he was sore all over from earlier._

 

  
_Shades stayed perfectly still against the wall while Che finished him off with his mouth. He released with a rough grunt then without missing a beat Che swallowed. That always surprised him even though he'd do it almost every time._

 

  
_"Fuck, I can't believe you like swallowing. Most of the girls that have ever given me head never swallow. You're special, I guess." Shades smiled, his eyes were closed as the post orgasm fade faded._

 

  
_"I don't know, man. I guess I like that shit." Che wiped the side of his mouth then slowly got up after kneeling for so long. "Though I gotta admit my knees hurt like a bitch."_

 

  
_"Heh heh well next time we'll have to take this somewhere else. I'm surprised no one walked over here to catch our little show. Not that they'd say some shit."_

 

  
_"Nah man, probably not."_

 

  
_Shades zipped his jumpsuit back up and inhaled deeply. "What is this?"_

 

  
_"You gettin' sentimental on me?" Che placed his hand against his own orange clad chest. "I'm touched."_

 

  
_"Fuck off, I'm serious..what the hell are we doin'? It's fun don't get me wrong but I never expected us to .."_

 

  
_"To what? Catch feelings?"_

 

  
_Their brown eyes connected for a moment then Shades went back to staring somewhere else._

 

  
_Shades figured they got lucky that they had some power at Seagate. Otherwise they'd probably get their asses beat by some of the guys in there._

 

  
_Sure, prison had its own set of rules, that much was obvious. But what would happen if they no longer had power, what would happen if it was them against everyone else?_

 

  
_"I don't know, maybe I'm just too much in my head, y'know? Like back when we were kids." Shades smiled briefly at the memory of them in Harlem, how young and reckless they were._

 

  
_"I think you do know, I think I know too." Che muttered softly before stepping in close and planting a brief kiss on Shades' lips. "C'mon man, let's go see if we got any other shit to do today."_

 

* * *

 

 

"I make it all the way outta Seagate just to get wacked over some beef I ain't even cook." Che chuckled, in a bitter but authentic way."That's some funny shit. Stubborn old bitch."

 

 

Shades always found himself defending her, being reckless for her and it seemed so habitual now. "Mariah hasn't been in this game as long as us, she couldn't see what I saw."

 

 

"Then why is she the one runnin' things and not you?"

 

 

" 'Cause you ain't seen what I seen. When Luke Cage showed up, Cottonmouth mentally unraveled. I saw him beat this dude to death with his bare hands. He was becoming increasingly reckless, I was never shook but he was a problem. That stubborn old bitch, pushed him right through that circular window then finished his ass off with a mic stand. She fixed the problem."

 

 

"You saw her do it?"

 

 

Shades continued to stare ahead, "I was on my way that night to kill his ass myself. She beat me to it. She has ice in her veins, kid. And I'm tellin' you when it comes time to deal with the Stylers, she will not hesitate. "

 

 

"Who else knows she really killed Cottonmouth?"

 

 

  
"Just you, can't trust anybody else."

 

 

That admission wasn't news but it was still clarification to how strong their bond was. And maybe, without realizing, he was admitting to what was still there between them.

 

 

Che deeply sighed after a few seconds, "I don't get you, B."

 

 

"What's not to understand?"

 

 

"Cottonmouth, Diamondback, they knew what I know - you're a born leader, brilliant. But you finally got a chance to be in control, to take charge, and you ridin' for someone who doesn't deserve the crown. You should take that shit from her." Che exclaimed in an aggressive way.

 

 

Before Shades could figure out how to explain himself, Che interrupted his train of thought with a question. "What's your plan?"

 

 

"To live the American dream." Shades responded in a smart ass tone.

 

 

"I got a loaded gun, a hard dick and a pocketful of cash. That's the American dream, right?"

 

  
"There's more than this shit and you know it. Thousand dollar suits, bitches, champagne, all that shit is cute. But when you have to kill to get it - you gonna get killed if you keep it. That's karma."

 

  
"That's the life. We do what we do."

 

  
Shades needed to convince Che that was he was saying was the truth, that he needed to adjust his thinking. "But there's a better way, a bigger life, one where you don't have to look over your shoulder every second. Mariah's taught me that, you're just outta prison but you still have that mentality. You gotta forget all that shit. We don't have to be just gangsters, we could be so much more than that."

 

  
"We are more than that or did you forget that shit too?"

 

  
He noticed that Che was waiting for him to say something, to give him a response one way or another. Though the type of response he had in mind wasn't coming out. Ignoring all that and pretending that they couldn't go back was easier.

 

  
"Inside was inside. Lack of human interaction. Lack of trust. We did what we had to do to keep from goin' crazy."

 

  
"We ain't have to do shit. I wanted to, you did too."

 

  
Denying that would be some fake shit so instead of full on denial, Shades opted out by repeating himself. Maybe then Che would drop it so they could focus on the bigger task at hand - finding Piranha.

 

 

"Life inside is inside. Prison has its own set of rules that no one in the outside world would ever understand. We're out now. It's different. I'm different - we're different."

 

 

"I ain't different. Inside. Outside. I am who I am, B."

 

 

Shades was fed up with the conversation, not because he didn't feel the same anymore but because he did. "What do you want me to say?"

 

 

"C'mon man, cats out here gettin' their heads cut off. Maybe we survive, maybe we don't. Just sayin' how I feel."

 

 

For a split second Shades almost gave into everything, all that desire and tension wanted to bubble over the surface. They'd probably fuck right there in Pop's store then pretend nothing happened afterwards. Maybe it'd be some form of closure on the possibilities that still lingered. Maybe Shades could continue with Mariah despite how she'd probably kill him one way or another. That woman wouldn't ever let him go and Che had to know that.

 

 

And what he felt for Mariah was real, only what he felt for Che overlapped into all that. Shades felt his loyalty consistently being tested, he felt like he had to scrap just to keep himself steady.

 

 

Of course Che was still waiting expectantly for him to respond back. So Shades gave him something to savor until he broke his heart again. "I would die for you Che, that'll never change. But it is what it is."

 

 

"We need to find Lucas, we're wastin' our time here."

 

 

When Che got up from his chair and started walking out of the room he felt sick. Shades knew he'd regret it in some way but he had to say something else. "Wait. Come back."

 

 

"Why, man?" Che responded back, he sounded a little ways away. "So you can tell me that you're sorry? So you can tell me that you're with Mariah but you still care 'bout me? Nah, I'll pass on that shit."

 

 

"You think I don't wish it was different? You think this is easy for me? I'm with Mariah and if she finds out about us..there's no telling what she'll do. That woman is spiteful, she'll kill you just to hurt me if it comes to it."

 

 

"Then let's get the fuck outta here then or better yet let's kill that bitch. We can set all of this straight. We'll take care of Mariah, we'll take care of Bushmaster then we can get back to what we were."

 

 

Shades jolted out his seat, still holding onto the gun. "Don't get it? We can't!"

 

 

"I still want you and I know you still want me, B."

 

 

"Stop."

 

 

There wasn't any anger in Che's eyes, only sadness and want. Shades didn't even stop him from coming any closer. His thoughts were telling him to move but his mind wouldn't let him do so.

 

  
"Tell me you don't love me anymore, tell me that it's really over and I'll just walk out right now. You can be with Mariah and I'll just find my own way without you." Che kept his composure but his eyes looked wet.

 

 

"You know that I can't do that but I can't be with you anymore either. She'll find out and it wouldn't have been worth it."

 

 

Shades locked eyes with Che again and unexpectedly he felt a hand on his. The warmth of that almost brought him to tears. He missed how it felt to be touched by Che.

 

 

They were so close to falling into each other, to kissing and letting themselves go over the edge. Without giving a fuck about the consequences. Shades felt Che's breath ghost over his lips. When Che attempted to kiss him he moved his face away.

 

"I guess I know who your choice is, don't I?" Che bitterly stated before moving away and turning around to exit the room for real this time.

 

 

Shades continued to stand there in Pop's just so the moment wouldn't fade away too damn quickly. "No, you don't."

 

 


End file.
